Break the Rules
by TVDVampire
Summary: Voight has two rules for his unit. One, tell him the truth, so he can lie for you. Two, no relationships within the unit. Jay and Erin have always been able to follow the second rule, until one night when they are looking at each other in a way they have never allowed themselves to before.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: I miss Linstead, so I started to write. This story will be in character POV and is set sometime around Season 2 or a little after. Leave a review and let me know what you think._

 _ **XXX**_

"Halstead!" I hear as I'm pulling a clean shirt over my head. The locker room had been quiet until Atwater came waltzing in. He has this ridiculous smile on his face and I know he's excited to tell me something.

"Atwater" I reply as I shut my locker, giving it another good shove to close because the latch on the inside has been broken since the day it was assigned to me.

"Drinks at Molly's tonight?" he asks. "We're doin' karaoke" he adds, like he actually thinks I am going to participate. There's no way I'm doing karaoke, but you can bet I'll be drinking a beer or two and watching my co-workers embarrass themselves.

"Sure" I say, making his whole entire day with my one-word response. "I'll meet you over there?" I ask, and he nods, adding a little more pep to his step as he exits the locker area.

I'm thankful it is Friday night because the whole week has been pretty intense. It feels good to close a month-long case we had been working on, but that means the following week is going to be heavy on the paperwork.

I grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder, ready to hit Molly's and relax. I stop only because I see my partner walking my way, heading for her own locker. "You headed to Molly's too?" I ask. "I hear we are in for quite the show" I tell her, smiling when I see her smile.

"I've got plans" Erin tells me as she opens her locker and grabs for her bag.

"Plans?" I ask, hoping she will let on as to what could be more important than seeing Ruzek and Atwater belt some Taylor Swift tune.

She smiles and her dimples are on display. "Yep" she answers. "Have fun though. You'll have to tell me all about it." With that, she shuts her locker door and heads out, leaving me still curious as to what she's got going on tonight.

I figure she's heading to Voight's for dinner. She's the only person in our unit that Voight would ever invite over for dinner. She's special, as she likes to remind me every chance she gets.

She's also the girl Voight considers a daughter, so I suppose she is special. Though, we all know he holds her to higher standards and as a result, he can come down pretty hard on her when she steps out of line.

Sometimes, I feel bad for her. Then I remember, she can usually hold her own with our Sergeant.

The drive to Molly's takes longer than usual for most days, but the 20 minutes I sit in traffic is not unusual for a Friday night. Parking is a pain, but I eventually find a spot and enter the bar that has become like a second home to most of us. Music is playing in the background and it is loud in there, but I welcome the distraction, especially after a long day's work.

Gabby pops a top off a cold beer and hands it to me as I make my way to the counter. "Thanks" I tell her, taking a seat next to Ruzek who is shouting commands from his seat about how the makeshift karaoke stage should be set up. I think he's a little buzzed already, but he's still clothed, so I don't worry just yet.

"Halstead!" he greets a little too loudly when he finally notices me sitting next to him. "When'd you get here?" he asks.

"Just now" I reply, taking a drink of my beer. I wonder if he knows where Erin in tonight, since he's dating Burgess and I figure maybe Erin told her. "Lindsay's not here" I say casually, seeing if he'll bite and give up some information on her whereabouts.

"She's got a hot date tonight" Ruzek announces, spinning in his bar stool clumsily so he can face me properly.

"A date?" I question. Erin Lindsay doesn't date. I've known her two years now and never once has she gone out with anyone.

He takes a drink of his beer and nods. "Kim said some suit and tie dude asked her out" Ruzek says, rolling his eyes, much like I want to do too. A suit and tie and Erin are the world's worst match, I think.

"Well, hopefully she has a nice time" I say anyway. I figure someone in this unit besides Burgess and Ruzek need some sort of semblance of a love life.

"You gonna get up there and sing with me?" Ruzek asks me, forgetting all about the conversation regarding Erin.

I shake my head and laugh off his ridiculous suggestion. Nothing, and no one, could make me get up there.

 **XXX**

I call it an early night and make my way back to my apartment. The Sierra isn't in the parking lot, and I try and pretend like I didn't notice that.

I also try and pretend like I don't glance at her apartment door as I unlock mine. Living next door to Erin does have its perks though. She always has beer in her fridge.

There's a game on that I recorded earlier in the week. It holds my interest for all of about an hour when I decide I need to take my trash out. I don't want to get off my couch, but I also don't want to deal with the trash tomorrow either.

With a long heavy sigh, I get up, grab the trash from under my kitchen sink and make my way back downstairs. The air is a bit chilly when I walk outside – a definite sign that fall is coming to an end. I'm not quite ready to say hello to the winter temperatures just yet, but soon enough, this city will grace us with a snowstorm to remind me that I really don't have a choice.

As I round the corner to the dumpster, I notice the black Sierra parked in its usual spot. I glance down at the watch on my wrist and notice that it is barely 7 PM. She's home early for a date night and I figure, at least she didn't go home with him. I start to wonder why, but stop myself. It's none of my business.

Except that I'm knocking on her apartment door when I head back upstairs. She answers, still wearing the dress I assume she went out in. "I'd like to borrow a cup of sugar" I say, smirking because I know she hates when I knock on her door and say stupid neighborly things. She usually flips me off and shuts the door on me.

Not tonight though. "Top shelf" she says, opening the door for me and moving deeper into her apartment.

My smirk fades as I watch her take her earrings out one at a time and drop them on the counter. She doesn't look like a girl who has just been taken to dinner and shown a good time. She looks miserable.

"Date was that bad, huh?" I ask as I follow her inside and shut the door.

She turns and looks at me, surprised that I knew. I don't know why though. Everyone knows anything you tell Ruzek doesn't stay a secret for long.

She figures it out though. "Ruzek tell you?" she asks.

I nod. There's no point in lying. "Yeah" I say sheepishly. I watch as she leans against her couch, not really mad but not really thrilled either that I know where she was. Still, I can't help but notice how bummed she looks. "You okay?" I ask, surprising the both of us because usually we only ask each other that after a really difficult case.

Erin thinks for a moment and I can tell she's debating on telling me the truth because her right eyebrow furrows slightly. "He didn't show" she finally says, playing it off as no big deal, but I can see right through her façade. She's disappointed.

"I'm sorry" I say, disappointed for her. She spent time getting all dressed up to go out for nothing. It doesn't seem fair.

Erin just shrugs, like she does whenever she's been let down but doesn't want to talk about it. "That's life" she says quietly.

I study her for a moment before making a last-minute decision that I'm not sure is the best idea, but I'm going with it. "Give me 10 minutes" I say with a wry smile. She gives me a questioning look and I love that I've caught her off guard. "I'm going to change and then take you out to dinner" I tell her.

She starts to protest, much like I knew she would. "Jay, no. I'm tired. I'm calling it a night" she says, shaking her head.

I shake my head right back. "You got all dressed up. You're going out to a dinner" I tell her.

"It's Friday night. You can't get in anywhere without a reservation" she tries again.

I'm not letting her get out of going though. "Ten minutes" I repeat, backing up a few steps before turning around to leave. I'm pretty sure I hear her groan, but I don't care.

I enter my apartment and grab my phone, making a quick phone call as I find a pair of nice slacks at the back of my closet and a neatly pressed dress shirt typically reserved for the rare occasion when I have to attend a formal event.

I forego the tie and go for a more casual look. Then I search the back of my closet for a pair of nice shoes. I check my watch and hurry towards the front door when I realize my 10 minutes are up. She'll be waiting for me and would give me shit if I were even a minute late.

The wood floors of our old apartment building creak as I approach her door. The building really is outdated, but rent is reasonable for it being Chicago and the neighborhood isn't too bad. When I left my last place due to a hike in rent, I crashed with Erin for a few weeks until the apartment I stay in now became available. The building sort of grew on me.

As I wait for Erin to answer the door again, I smile as I remember what it was like to live with her for those few weeks. The couch she made me sleep on was comfortable, but her refrigerator makes this God-awful humming noise at random times throughout the night. I came pretty close to tossing the blankets and pillows into the bathtub and sleeping in there on more than one occasion.

The door finally opens and I am relieved to see that she has not changed. Her purse is still in her hands and she still does not looked convinced about going out to dinner tonight. "Ready?" I ask.

We walk side by side down the stairs. I want to tell her she looks nice, but I hold back. Maybe I'll tell her later after her mood lifts.

We make it out to the parking lot and she pulls the keys to the Sierra out of her purse. I stop when I see her heading for the driver's seat. I determine this is not how this is going to go down tonight.

Erin senses that I stop and she turns around to raise a questioning eyebrow at me. "You coming?" she asks.

"I'd like to drive" I say, placing my hands in my pockets to keep warm. She raises that damn eyebrow of hers, reminding me that she is, and always will be, in charge. "Please?" I ask, my lips forming a small smile.

Erin stares at me for a moment or two, trying to figure out what she is going to do. Eventually her shoulders relax and she's walking towards me, placing the keys in my hand. "As you wish, grasshopper" she says, laughing at her statement as she goes and gets in the passenger side of the truck.

I just shake my head because Erin is probably the only person I would ever let bust my balls and get away with it on a daily basis.

Once I'm in the truck, I start it and crank the heat because I can see out of the corner of my eye that she's rubbing her hands together, trying to get warm. "You ready for this Chicago weather to change?" I asked, putting the truck in reverse and checking my mirrors as I back out of the parking spot. It really would not go over well with Platt if I put a dent in our new truck.

"I hate the cold" she reminds me. I know this because that's all I hear when we're walking around Chicago in the snow with the wind nipping at our exposed skin.

"You hate the humidity too" I mention as I make a right and navigate us through the neighborhood streets. She doesn't confirm nor deny my statement.

Erin is looking out the window at the streetlights as we drive. "Where are we going?" she asks me.

I smile to myself because I know she hates not being in charge. She hates the element of surprise and I consider myself lucky that she's willing to go with me tonight, having no idea where I am taking her. "You'll see" I tell her and without looking, I know she's rolling her eyes at me.

The next time she looks at me is when I pull up in front of a restaurant and the valet is jogging around the front of the truck.

"Wait" Erin says, looking at me. "We're eating here?" she asks, clearly in disbelief.

I shrug modestly, though I am thrilled that I have surprised her. Erin Lindsay does not surprise easily. "Yeah" I tell her as the valet opens my door.

I'm not quick enough to open Erin's door for her. She's waiting for me by the time I walk around the truck. I offer her my arm and much like when we go under cover as a couple, she loops her arm through mine and falls into step beside me as we make our way to the front entrance. "How did you manage this?" she questions. "Did you threaten to call the Health Department?" she teases.

I grin because I know that is something she would do. "I know people" I tell her, keeping my answer vague as we walk through the front doors. She doesn't question me but I know it is coming later. The girl likes answers, and eventually, she gets them.

The hostess greets us with a smile. "Name?" she asks, scanning her eyes over the reservation list in front of her.

I know I am not on that list, so I briefly lean away from Erin and towards the hostess to whisper in her ear. The young girl smiles once again, nods and then hurries away. I look over and down at Erin and her eyebrow is raised, like she's still trying to decide whether or not she's eating here tonight.

Erin is looking around as we wait, taking in the lights and the people. She's incredibly observant and it sure comes in handy for our job.

The hostess returns and asks us to follow her. I place my hand on Erin's back and allow her to go first. We move past the bar, towards the back of the restaurant. Erin looks back at me with questioning eyes and I just smile because I really have no idea where we are going. I had just asked for a table. Now I am starting to panic that maybe this table will be in the back, next to the bathrooms.

But then the hostess opens another door and holds it for us, gesturing for us to enter. We are greeted by soft twinkling lights and a small round table with two place settings. I am pretty impressed, and I can tell by the barely audible gasp from Erin that she is too.

"Your waiter will be right with you" our hostess tells us, excusing herself and leaving us alone.

Erin is looking up at the lights, then down at the table and back up at me. "Seriously. How?" she asks.

She's skeptical, but more than that, she's excited. She may not admit it, but she is. I just shrug, but I know I am grinning. It is no easy feat to impress Erin Lindsay. "Told you. I know people" I tell her, pulling her chair out for her so she can sit.

Erin rolls her eyes and I can't be certain if she's rolling them due to my vague answer or because I pulled her chair out for her. I don't ask.

We open our menus and scan over our options. I'm busy deciding between the Tordelli Lucchesi and the Chitarrine Nere when I notice her staring at me over her menu. "What?" I ask.

"Are you sure about this?" Erin asks, and I know she's referring to the prices. Yeah, this is typically more than I would normally spend on dinner, but the food is bound to be good and I am treating her to a nice night out. "Order anything you want" I assure her.

"Even the lobster?" she asks, choosing the most expensive item on the menu. I nod. "Huh" she says, going back to her menu. I smile to myself because I am drawing up this fantasy in my head of her letting me drive more often because of my generosity tonight.

A minute or so later, we are greeted by a young man dressed in all black with a white bowtie. He's holding a bottle of wine. "Sangiovese" he says as he begins pouring the red liquid into our wine glasses, then sets the rest of the bottle on our table. I have no idea what in the hell I'm drinking tonight. "Do we know what we are having tonight?" he askes, his hands folded neatly behind his back.

Erin sets her menu down and smiles up at our waiter. "The Tordelli Lucchesi, please" she tells him. I raise a curious eyebrow at her from across the table because I thought she wanted lobster, but she just smirks with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"And I'll have the same" I say, realizing our waiter is waiting for me to speak. He collects our menus and we are left alone once again.

Erin picks up her glass and examines the wine carefully. I can tell that she's not absolutely sure what she's drinking either, but she takes a small sip, lets the liquid roll around on her tongue before swallowing. The small smile that follows lets me know the wine is good, so I take my own sip. I can't say that I prefer wine over beer, but this stuff isn't too bad.

"So" Erin says, setting her glass down. "You going to tell me how you got us into a place like this last minute on a Friday night?" she asks.

A short, enthusiastic Italian man comes bounding into the room just as I am about to answer her. He's wearing a smile and my own matches his. I see the curious look Erin shoots my way as I am standing to except the bear hug I know this man is going to give me. "Halstead!" he greets as he engulfs me in a tight embrace. Once he lets go, he steps back and assesses me. "You look good, how ya been?" he askes, checking me over.

I nod. "I'm good Alo" I tell him, and it is the honest truth. "And you? I never thought you would leave the Army and open up your own restaurant" I tell him.

"Ah" he says, waving his hand at me. "Needed a change" he tells me, but I know his answer has a lot more meaning behind it. Afghanistan took a toll on all of us eventually, physically and psychologically.

Alo turns towards Erin, suddenly realizing that I have a date with me. "Oh mio bello …" he starts in his native tongue, completely in awe of Erin. I don't blame him. She looks gorgeous tonight.

"Alo, this is my partner from work, Erin" I say, introducing them. "Erin, this is Alo. He was my Sergeant in the Army" I explain.

Erin stands and accepts Alo's hand to shake. "It is very nice to meet you" she says, giving my friend a genuine smile. I know she's intrigued to learn a little more about my past in the Army, but she keeps her questions to herself.

"The pleasure is all mine" he tells her. Alo looks from Erin to me and back to Erin with a grin. "Tell me, how did a guy like him get a beautiful woman like you to agree to join him for dinner tonight?" he asks, making Erin blush and laugh at the same time.

I roll my eyes, but secretly I want to know her answer too.

"Jay here lost a bet and owed me a dinner" she says casually, making me grin because there had been plenty of times when we had both lost bets and owed the other one dinner. This was different though, because no one owed anyone anything tonight.

Alo smiles at her response, seeming to accept the answer and I pray he lets it go and doesn't embarrass me. "He's a good man, this one" Alo says, slapping my shoulder in a friendly gesture. "A great man."

Alo excuses himself a few minutes later, noting that he has other guests to attend to. He's a real charmer and I can tell that even Erin is mesmerized by his charm. As much as I like Alo, I'm glad when it is just me and Erin again.

"A great man" I say, repeating Alo. "You heard that too, right?" I ask with a smug smile.

Erin rolls her eyes and takes another sip of her wine. "He obviously thinks highly of you" Erin replies.

"Nice to know someone does" I say with a small shrug. She shakes her head and takes another sip, finishing off her glass. I'm ready with the bottle for her refill.

 **XXX**

The food is incredible. I know Erin agrees because she's finished every last bite on her plate and is currently stretching, trying to find some comfort after eating way more than she had intended. I feel the same way.

We're on our third glass of wine each and while I can't feel the effect yet, I can tell that Erin has relaxed considerably since we arrived. She's smiling and laughing, even leaning forward on the table a little more towards me.

I've seen Erin drunk, and this isn't it. She's feeling good, and I am happy to see that she's able to relax after the week we had. "Dessert?" I ask.

Erin shakes her head no almost immediately. "I can't" she says, groaning slightly. "Unless, we can take it to go" she adds with a hopeful smile.

"Come on" I say, standing. "We'll grab something on the way out."

Alo is busy in the back, so Erin and I order Cannoli and another bottle of that wine to take with us.

We drive back home, discussing how good the food was and complaining about how bad the traffic is, as if the two of us are ever going to solve the congestion in Chicago's streets.

I park the truck and sit in the driver's seat for a moment or two, even after Erin has exited the vehicle and is walking towards our building. I guess I need a moment to reflect on tonight. I've probably had dinner more times with Erin than any other person, but tonight felt different, and I'm not sure why.

Erin is almost to the building's entrance when I finally get out of the truck and jog to catch up with her. She's juggling that bottle of wine and the plastic bag with our Cannoli as she tries to open the door. "I got it" I say and she gives me a grateful smile.

We walk up the stairs together and I follow her to her apartment. I figure I'll make sure she gets in at least, tell her goodnight before I head back to my apartment. "You coming in?" she asks, pushing the door open. I follow her inside and close the door, telling myself I'll only stay a few minutes. We have to be to work tomorrow by 7:30, on a Saturday I might add, to start on paperwork.

When Erin opens the bottle of wine and finds two glasses to fill, I know that I will probably be here longer than just a few minutes. "Here" she says, walking towards me and handing me my own glass. We take a seat on her couch and stare at the black screen on the T.V. "He's right" Erin says, taking a large sip of her wine before putting the glass down on the coffee table in front of us.

I follow her lead and turn towards her, curious about who she is talking about. "Alo" Erin says. She smiles, looks down at her hands and then back up at me. She's about to tell me something. "He's right about you being a great man" she says. Then she's looking down at her hands again and I want so badly to reach over and take one of her hands in mine so her focus will be on me again. I don't. "You've had my back more times than I can count, even when you shouldn't have" Erin tells me. "And I don't just mean at work" she adds.

"You do the same for me" I say, shrugging like its no big deal. Like its just something we do for each other because we spend more hours together than apart.

Erin looks up at me again and I swear she's moved closer to me on the couch. "Thank you for tonight, Jay. It was nice to be able to get dressed up and go out for a change."

I smile a little, because I'm happy to hear that she had a good time. "Maybe we could do it again sometime" I offer carefully, because it can't be a date. We both know that. "I uh, I should get going" I say, planting my hands on the couch cushions to push myself up to stand.

Erin's grabbing for my jacket with her right hand and leaning towards me before I can fully comprehend what she's doing. I try not to act surprised when her lips find mine, but it is kind of hard when the last thing I expect is for her to be kissing me.

Even though I don't feel like my brain is working, my lips seem to know what to do. And they are doing a pretty good job based on the tiny moan Erin lets escape. She's reaching for the buttons on my jacket and when I realize what she's trying to do, I still her hands with my own and regrettably end the kiss. "Erin" I say quietly.

"I'm not drunk" are the first words to leave her mouth. I don't know what to say to that. It's not that I don't want to do this, but there are rules when it comes to working in the unit we work in, and I am a rule follower.

But God damn, the way she's looking at me right now makes me want to break every rule there is, maybe even twice. I rub my jaw and realize that it has been a couple days since I last shaved. Erin doesn't seem to mind though, because she's leaning back in like she wants to kiss me again.

"Come on" Erin whispers against my lips instead. She takes my hand and stands from the couch. She gives a gentle tug and I'm following her down the hallway to her bedroom.

When we enter her room, she's taking off her coat and heels, leaving them where they fall on her bedroom floor. My fingers clumsily work the buttons loose on my jacket and I neatly fold it and place it on top of her dresser.

"Jay" she says, and when I turn towards her, she has her back to me, holding up her hair so I can help her with the zipper on her dress. I slide the zipper down slowly, giving her plenty of time to change her mind if she wants. Instead, she slides the material over her shoulders and lets the dress drop to the floor.

When she turns around to face me, I keep my eyes locked on hers. "Erin" I say, but she answers my question before I even get to ask it.

"I'm sure" she says, smiling as she reaches up on her toes to press her lips against mine.

She's grabbing my shirt and pulling me towards the bed with her. In a moment of nervousness, I decide to crack a joke and hope for the best. "Does this mean I get to drive tomorrow too?" I ask.

She stops, pulls her head back and gives me this look that makes me panic like maybe I have just ruined the moment.

But then that famous Erin Lindsay smirk surfaces. "Nope" she says.

I fail to hide probably the biggest grin I have ever had. Of course her answer is no.


	2. Chapter 2

I feel the headache before I even open my eyes. Wine has this unapologetic way of screwing me over the next morning. And that beeping alarm isn't helping. I reach my hand over and blindly slap at the button, trying to shut it off. I'm successful on the fifth or sixth try.

With a deep sigh, I weigh the consequences of falling back asleep and missing work that day. I might get another 30 minutes before Jay would no doubt start knocking on my door, asking if I'm ready.

Jay. I suddenly remember that he fell asleep with me last night, and not in that friendly, innocent way where we stay on opposite sides of the bed. No. We were about as close as two people can get last night.

Even though I shouldn't, I smile at this little-known detail.

"Jay?" I asked, opening my eyes and rolling over towards him. Except he's not there. I'm not worried that he snuck out early to avoid waking up next to me. Jay's not that type of guy.

He went to the gym, and the note he left on the pillow he slept on last night confirms this. Halstead is one of those people who gets up at the crack butt of dawn to workout. And that's probably why there's never been a perp who could outrun him.

I hold his note up and smile as I read it again. The fact that he did not want to wake me tells me how well he knows me. The fact he mentions he'll meet me at my door with coffee reminds me to never take my partner for granted.

I groan after I decide against texting Hank and telling him I'm sick. There is a ton of paperwork to do and I need to get started on it, like the rest of my team. So, I get up, forgo any clothes and head to the bathroom, desperately needing to brush my teeth. As I look at myself in the mirror, I take in the mess that is my hair this morning. My cheeks may or may not warm slightly at the memory of Jay's hands in my hair last night. Who knew he would be so preoccupied with dirty blonde hair that spent most of its time in a ponytail.

I spit my toothpaste and walk to the shower, turning on the warm water. I have about ten minutes to spend in there, but the moment the water hits my skin, I regret not setting my alarm for earlier.

Actually, I don't remember setting my alarm at all. I figure Jay set it for me last night after I fell asleep or this morning before he left. He's such a stickler about being on time.

I give myself five extra minutes in the shower and then wrap a towel around myself as I rush back into my bedroom. I grab a pair of jeans, a black Henley and a dark green sweater from my closet. I search the floor for my bra, because I know Jay took it off last night, and find it neatly folded and sitting on top of my dresser along with the dress I wore last night. Only Jay Halstead would tidy up my room before leaving.

I dress quickly, throw my hair in a ponytail, add a tad bit of makeup so I don't look as tired as I feel, and head for the living room. There, I find my phone with two missed calls from Hank, and my coat.

The calls from Hank came last night, so I don't worry about calling him back now. I'll see him soon.

The clock on my T.V. tells me I am two minutes late and I silently curse that I won't have time to grab something for breakfast. I'm willing to bet the breakfast burritos I stashed in the breakroom freezer are gone. I'm sure Ruzek and Atwater found them by now.

Jay is leaning against his apartment door, holding two cups of coffee to go with a brown paper bag tucked under his arm.

"Good morning" he says, smiling as he takes a sip of his coffee.

"Good morning" I reply, locking my apartment door and turning back to face him. There is absolutely zero awkwardness between us and I am thankful for that. I'm thankful for Jay, for not making a big deal out of last night. We had dinner, came back to my place and ended up in my bed. Now, we're going into work together. Like we usually do. "Tell me you have breakfast sandwiches in that bag" I say, pointing towards the bag.

"Ham, egg and cheese on a croissant" he tells me, handing me my coffee as I walk to him.

I take a generous sip from the coffee, made just the way I like with a little creamer. "You're the best" I tell him.

"I know" Jay says as we walk together down the stairs. I don't have to look over at him to know he's smiling. Jay is the type of morning person I strive to be. He's on time, prepared and always ready to start the day. I don't quite understand it, but I'm trying.

Once, I got up at 5:30 in the morning and accompanied him to the gym. He lifted some weights and ran on the treadmill while I went back to sleep on one of the padded benches nearby. He hasn't asked me to join him since.

We leave our building and find the sun out and shining. Figures, seeing as how we must spend our day inside. "We haven't seen the sun in over a week and today it decides to come out" I mutter as I unlock the truck. Jay is standing in front of the truck, giving me a hopeful look like maybe I'll change my mind and let him drive this morning. "I said no" I remind him, smiling as he sulks playfully to the passenger side and gets in. I start the truck, get the heat going.

"All I'm saying is, maybe we can come up with some sort of schedule. You know, you drive Mondays and Wednesdays and I drive Tuesdays and Thursdays. We'll trade off on Fridays" he says as I am pulling out of the parking lot.

"Jay" I remind as I roll up to a stoplight. "I've been in this unit longer. And don't even think about telling me that you've been on the job longer" I warn, pointing a finger at him. Jay makes a face that I see out of the corner of my eye.

It is quiet for a moment and I think he might be dropping the argument finally. Until I hear him say, "I'm older" as he's reaching into the brown paper bag for a sandwich.

I roll my eyes at his lame retort. "By four months" I laugh. This. This is why I appreciate Jay so much. We were naked together only a few hours earlier and we're back to the same old banter between two partners.

"Four months is four months, Lindsay" he says, handing me a breakfast sandwich. I take it appreciatively.

"Look, Jay. Platt handed me the keys when we got the truck" I remind him.

"Yeah, but Platt like, loves you or something" Jay tells me, as if that's something I can control. I've known Platt since I was 15 and started going with Hank to the station. The men outnumber us significantly, and us women must stick together. Or so Platt says to me every so often.

"But you make such a good passenger" I tell Jay. I come up with a few more lame reasons why his role in the passenger seat is important before we pull into the station. He opens the door and gets out, clearly silently pouting that he, again, did not get his way about driving.

We are not the first to arrive, but we have beat Ruzek, so I call that a success. I have barely taken off my jacket when Hank's office door opens and he steps out, looking at me. "Erin" he says, nodding towards the door and indicating that he wants me to join him.

He used my first name, which tells me this conversation won't be about work. I look at Jay as I walk by his desk and into Hank's office. "What's up?" I ask as he shuts the door and takes his place in his chair at his desk. I remain standing with my arms crossed.

"Heard you had a date last night" he says, leaning back in his chair slightly. I refrain from rolling my eyes. That's the last time I tell Burgess about my personal life. She tells Ruzek and then suddenly, the whole team knows. "How'd it go?" he asks.

I shrug. "Dinner was really good" I answer honestly. It was really good.

"Should I be digging up info on this guy?" Hank asks me. The thought makes me smile, and part of me really wants to be a smartass and tell him that he's already run a background check on the guy I went out with. Jay is by far the most qualified man to date me when it comes to Hank's approval.

Except for the fact that Jay is my partner and Hank does not allow relationships within his unit. Not that I want to date Jay anyway. He's a great guy, and last night was … I don't get a chance to finish my thought because Hank is talking again.

"You seeing this guy again?" Hank asks me.

I shrug. "Probably not" I answer. "Can I get back to work now?" I ask, nodding towards the room on the other side of the door. I have a lot to get done.

Hank smiles, then nods his head. "Sure, Kid." I exit his office and head straight for the breakroom. I need another cup of coffee because the last of mine I brought in will not be warm enough anymore.

"Hey" Jay says, walking into the breakroom with me. He looks towards the entrance to make sure no one is lurking nearby. "What'd Voight want?" he asks curiously. The one thing I will say about the guy is that he's nosey as hell.

I stir some creamer into my coffee. "Asked me how my date went last night" I answer, tossing the stirrer into the garbage.

Jay leans against the counter and his lips curve into this stupid smile. "Yeah. What did you tell him?" Jay asks. He wants to know what I thought about our time together. And not just dinner. Jay is fishing for feedback on what happened after we got back to my place. I shrug. "Said dinner was nice."

Jay looks back at the entrance and leans in just slightly closer. "What uh … what about after dinner?" he asks quietly.

My heartbeat picks up a few paces just thinking about last night. But I keep calm because we're at work and because I don't want to boost his ego too much. So, I take a sip of my coffee and raise an eyebrow at him. He's focused on me, waiting so patiently for an answer. I almost feel bad with what I come up with. "Eh" I say.

His smile fades and is replaced with a look telling me he's unimpressed with my answer. "Just eh?" he repeats in disbelief. That perfect eyebrow of his is raised and is questioning me. I'm probably the first girl to ever tell him that his bedroom performance was not worthy of some type of award. It makes me smile a little. I do have to shove down the tiniest bit of jealousy I feel about the other girls I know he's seen.

I push away from the counter and make to walk past him. Only I stop, check that no one can overhear me, and lean in close to him. "I might need a redo, you know, before I finalize my opinion."

He's definitely intrigued as I leave him in the breakroom. In fact, he sneaks glances at me the rest of the day from his desk.

I meant it as a joke, but I think we both know there's a good possibility that I'll end up at Jay's apartment tonight.

 **XXX**

"Halstead, Lindsay" Hank barks, scaring the crap out of me. I've been so focused on typing at my computer that I didn't even hear him come out of his office. Jay and I both stand as Hank comes towards us. "I need you two to go and check something out."

Hank precedes to give us an address and tells us that a guy named Daren may have some information on a dealer we need to find. "We're on it" I tell Hank as I snatch the keys off of my desk and my jacket from the back of my chair. Jay and I are walking towards the stairs and I don't miss the jealous looks from Ruzek and Atwater. They would do anything to get away from their desks right now if it meant not having to do paperwork.

"Think this Daren guy is going to talk?" Jay asks as we get into the truck.

I just shrug. "We'll see" I reply and start the truck. I don't want to come out and say that Hank's rule about relationships in his unit is pointless. But the fact that Jay and I slept together last night and flirted this morning, and yet, we can go right back into being professional at work in an instant, really makes me think the rule is pointless.

Again. Not that I would ever want to date Jay Halstead. But at least I know that he's not a distraction at work.

"Left up here" Jay says, because he just can't help being a human GPS, even though I have told him a hundred times that I don't want directions unless I ask. Just to piss him off, I turn right instead. I can loop around. "Really?" he asks, like he can't believe I just did that.

I smile, because sometimes Jay can be so Type A. A little flexibility is good for him. "You know Halstead, if a career as a detective doesn't work out, you can audition to be one of those annoying GPS voices" I tell him.

"Just trying to help, Lindsay" he says, sinking back in the leather seat. He's quiet for a moment before he adds, "I would make a really great GPS voice."

I laugh at him and it feels good. I live for our nonsensical banter. I think he does too.

I pull up outside a house and kill the engine. Jay and I are already scoping out the guy working under the hood of his SUV in the driveway. "That him?" Jay asks me.

"Caucasian male, early thirties, red hair" I say, reading the description given by Hank. "I think so." We get out of the truck and walk together towards the man who looks less than thrilled to see us. "Daren Jenkins?" I ask.

"Who wants to know?" he asks, continuing to tinker with something under the hood.

Jay and I both flash our badges so he knows who he's dealing with. "We'd like to ask you a few questions" I tell this Daren guy.

"I don't have any answers" is his reply.

Jay and I share a look that implies we want to roll our eyes, but we won't. "One of your previous employees, Jake Turner, know where we can find him?" I ask.

"Don't know him." Daren gives us a one shoulder shrug and switches tools. If he thinks we're going to accept that answer and be on our way, he's dumber than he looks.

I glance over at Jay who looks pretty damn annoyed. "He got pinched a few years ago for running drugs through your auto shop" Jay reminds him.

Daren is looking agitated and I feel like we're not going to get very far with him. "We'd like to talk to Jake. He might have some information that will help us with a case" I add.

Daren throws the wrench he was working with. "I'm not telling you shit!" he says, raising his voice as he takes a step towards me.

Jay takes a protective step forward too. He does not do this to undermine me. We both know I could get Daren to the ground by myself. Jay does it out of instinct.

Daren eyes Jay, deciding against further approaching me and instead, takes a step back. "I haven't seen him in years" Daren says finally. "Can't help you" he adds, walking back to stand in front of his vehicle and picking up a different tool. He gets back to work.

"If you hear from him" Jay says, stepping towards him and holding out his card. Reluctantly, Daren finally takes the card from Jay.

I nod to Daren and Jay and I head back for the truck. "He's lying" I say as we both get in.

"Yep" Jay agrees. He does not seem too bothered by the lack of information we gathered.

I sigh in defeat. The one thing I hate more than anything is coming back to Hank emptyhanded.

"Hey" Jay says, reaching his hand over to place on my knee. The gesture is innocent enough, but that same hand was anything but innocent last night. I grip the steering wheel a little tighter. "This isn't a dead end. We've got other avenues" he reminds me.

Typical Jay. He can always turn something negative into a positive. "I guess" I say quietly. I move my leg slightly and he let's go. I'm both relieved and disappointed at the same time.

"Hey, pull in here" Jay tells me, pointing to a local burger joint we tend to frequent. I glance at the clock and realize it is almost noon. The fact that we are working on a Saturday warrants a burger and fries.

 **XXX**

My phone lights up for the millionth time in an hour. My mother is relentless this evening. She's alternating between calling and texting, and I'm willing to bet if I checked my e-mail, I'd have a few of those from her too.

She only contacts me a handful of times a year and more often than not, it is because of some sort of crisis she's gotten herself into. I'm already listing off all of the possibilities in my head when Jay suddenly appears in front of my desk. "You ready?" he asks me.

"I have to take care of something" I reply. I slide the truck keys across my desk towards him.

"You want me to go with?" he asks.

I'm flattered that he would offer, but he really does not need to deal with my mom. No one, actually, needs to deal with my mom.

Jay has only met her once, and that was because she got arrested and was being hauled into the District in handcuffs. He didn't make a big deal about it, but I know he has questions about her. About my relationship with her. I tell myself that one day, I'll tell him. Today is not that day.

"I'm good" I say with a smile I hope is believable.

"Okay" Jay says, giving me a supportive smile. "Text me when you get home." He grabs for the keys and heads for the stairs.

I gather my jacket and wave goodnight to Hank who is in his office on the phone. I walk out with Antonio and he gives me an update on his kids. I feel bad that they don't live with him anymore, but I admire his ability to maintain a close relationship with them.

My mom's bar is a good 20 minute drive so I get an Uber and use the downtime to check my e-mail. I have the ones from my mom that I delete without reading, some junk mail and one from Jay. I open it, noting that he sent it around lunch time. It is a bunch of cat memes. I hate cats, yet it makes me smile. He's so stupid sometimes and yet he makes me laugh more than anyone.

My mom is sitting at a table near the bar when I walk through the door. She has a drink waiting for me, but I don't touch it. She's cheap and waters her alcohol down anyway. "What do you want?" I ask, sitting down in the chair and looking her right in her eyes that don't look like mine, to make sure I have her attention.

Bunny rolls her eyes at me. I do get that from her at least. "Well hello to you too, Erin" she says, picking up her glass and taking a drink.

"I'm really busy" I tell her. I'm exhausted on top of it all and that is not a great combination for me.

She finishes off her drink and signals to the bartender for another. "Maybe I just wanted to see my daughter" she shrugs.

I see right through her though. She needs money. "How much?" I ask.

"Oh Erin, don't be ridiculous" Bunny says, waving me off with a semi drunk laugh.

"How much?" I ask again, my expression remaining flat and disconnected.

Bunny sighs. "I just got into a little predicament with a friend. I borrowed some money a while ago and he needs it back" she tells me.

"How. Much?" I ask yet again, but this time my voice is strained and my tone is full of irritation.

"Five" Bunny responds.

"Hundred?" I clarify. I could probably swing that, even though my better judgement tells me not to. She'll never learn if I keep bailing her out. Actually, she will probably never learn, whether I help her or not. My mother has always had a problem being an upstanding, unproblematic human being. I cringe at even calling her my mother, because she's so far from what a mother should be, she might as well be a stranger.

"Thousand" Bunny corrects casually, as if I can magically write a check for that kind of cash.

"You're kidding, right?" I ask. I almost laugh when I see her shake her head and it was stupid of me to even consider that she might be joking. "I don't have that kind of money" I tell her. I'm being honest about that.

Bunny scoffs and it pisses me off. "You have a full-time job with the department. You make good money" she tells me.

I actually do laugh this time. "I make enough to live off of" I correct. Even if I had that kind of money in savings, I would not give it to her. "I don't make enough to hand over five grand because my mother did something stupid!" I say. The slight raise of my voice makes her glare at me. "Figure this out yourself" I tell her. I stand, grab my jacket and head for the door.

Her voice rings out over the crappy music playing in the bar and her words make me stop dead in my tracks. "You can ask Hank" she calls out. "He'd give the money to you if you told him you needed it" she adds.

My shoulders are stiff, and my hands are clenched because this woman singlehandedly causes me more stress than even my job as a detective in Chicago. I turn around and face her because I want her to see how angry I am. Yes, Hank would give me the money if I asked for it. And I could lie and tell him I was behind on rent, but I could never do that to the man who made sure I didn't grow up to be my mother. I haven't borrowed money from Hank since I asked to borrow $200 from him when I was 15 so I could score some drugs for Bunny.

I realize she's still waiting for a response, so I walk back towards her and bend down so I am right in her face. "I don't have the money. I'm not asking Hank for the money" I say, being as clear as possible with her. "Stop calling me. Stop texting me. Stop e-mailing me. Leave. Me. Alone." Her eyes are a bit glazed over, but I know she's heard me because she raises her hand to slap me. She's not quick enough though and when I catch her hand, she lets out a frustrated scream that makes all the customers look her way. I shove her hand back towards her and turn around to leave. My heart is beating fast and I hate that I have let her get under my skin yet again.

 **XXX**

I've calmed down by the time I'm climbing the stairs of my apartment building. I'm determined to not let Bunny ruin my weekend. I picked up a pizza and a six pack of beer and find myself outside Jay's apartment, knocking on his door. It is just after 7:00 PM and I figure if he's already eaten, he would not turn down free beer.

Jay answers the door and that stupid, ridiculous smile appears on is face when he sees me. I swear he's the only one who smiles at me like that. "You up for some company tonight?" I ask. The thought of him saying no is depressing. I really don't want to sit in my apartment alone tonight after my run-in with my mother.

"The beer and pizza? Sure" he says. "You? Eh …" he adds, but his smile is back and he's pretty damn proud of himself for that comment. It earns him an eyeroll from me. "Come on" he tells me, nodding for me to come in.

I set the pizza and beer on his coffee table and take a seat on the couch while Jay gets plates and napkins. He's so formal like that – I usually just eat the pizza right out of the box. "Blackhawks are losing" I mention when he returns.

Jay glances at the T.V. before taking a seat next to me. "They'll make a comeback in the third period" he assures me. "Preseason jitters."

I stare at the scoreboard on the T.V. and I think he's crazy. "The first period is almost over and Chicago is down by five goals" I remind him. Jay smiles and shrugs his shoulders before reaching for a slice of pizza. I reach for a slice too and think about how optimistic Jay always is. I'm always the realist, preparing myself for the worst-case scenario. Not Jay though. He always has hope. I think maybe that's what makes him such a great cop. He has hope for this world, while I've pretty much come to the conclusion that life deals some of us a shitty hand.

Jay is focused on the T.V. when I decide to make this evening a little more interesting. "Dinner at the Purple Pig? Chicago won't win tonight" I say before I can stop myself. I haven't been in a few months and I could really go for some Gyros.

Jay turns to me, his eyebrow raised just slightly. "Oh, you're on" Jay tells me.

I turn back to the T.V. and look at the score again. There's no way the Blackhawks will win.

 **XXX**

Wouldn't you know it, those damn Blackhawks made a comeback in the third period and won. By one goal, but Jay was quick to remind me that a goal was a goal. I've never heard him cheer so loud before. I'm not sure if he was more excited about the game, about me losing the bet, or both.

"So what time did you want to make those reservations for next week?" Jay asks, wasting no time gloating about his upcoming dinner at the Purple Pig.

I can't be mad. That was one hell of a game. "Wednesday work?" I ask. We never really know what our schedule will be like, but unless Platt requires us to work patrol, we should be able to make it to dinner before the restaurant closes.

"Wednesday is perfect" Jay tells me as he grabs for the empty pizza box and beer bottles. He takes them to the kitchen and I follow with the two beers we didn't open, placing them in his refrigerator. I turn and lean against the counter and he leans against the one opposite of me. "You okay?" he asks finally.

I shrug and avoid eye-contact. I know he's been wanting to ask me that since I first showed up tonight. I know not to go into details, but since he asked, I figure I'll give him a brief summary. "Just Bunny asking me to bail her out as usual." I know he has strung together the few pieces of information I have shared with him and created a pretty accurate picture of my relationship with my mother.

He crosses his arms and I can't help but notice that he's slipping into his "interrogation" mode. I don't think he realizes it, but I've worked with him long enough to notice. "You wanna talk about it?" Jay asks.

"No" I answer. The answer is always no. I know Jay well enough to know that he won't push me to talk about it. I'm right, because he uncrosses his arms and his whole body relaxes considerably.

"You want a slice of salted caramel cheesecake?" he asks instead.

My mood just improved significantly. "From the Cheesecake Factory?" I question.

Jay nods. "Stopped by on my way home. I knew you were going to see your mom and could use the sugar to cheer you up" he explains.

I decide right then and there that whoever ends up marrying Jay Halstead is going to be the luckiest person alive.

 **XXX**

We finished our cheesecake about an hour ago and have started watching a Cops episode. It is one of our favorite pastimes, critiquing the officers and trying to come up with better tactics to apprehend a suspect.

When the episode ends, I grab for the remote before he does. "There's a re-run of Property Wars on" I say, finding the channel easy enough. I caught the flu a month back and had to spend a whole day on the couch. That show kept me sane and even had me thinking about buying and flipping houses if the whole detective thing didn't work out.

"No way" Jay says, reaching over me to try and regain control of the remote. "That show sucks."

"You've never watched it" I argue as I hold the remote up high over my head. I don't know why I think that will deter him.

Jay smiles, and I think he quite enjoys this little game we've got going on. He surprises me and playfully lunges towards me, pinning my back against the couch before I've even registered what he's doing. Apparently, power struggles over the remote are a turn on. I, however, still have the remote.

He stares down at me and I know, without a doubt, that I have a ridiculously stupid smile spread across my face. "Hand it over, Lindsay" he tells me.

Like I ever listen to him. "Make me." He raises one of those perfect eyebrows at my challenge and I know I'm in trouble. His hands find my sides, tickling me along my ribcage, and I give in way too easy. I'm pretty sure you could use any other form of torture and not get a word out of me. Tickling though? I'd admit to a crime I didn't even do if it would end it. "Stop, stop!" I half cry, half laugh. I've dropped the remote by now, yet he's still going.

"Please, no, stop!" I beg. I'm practically in the fetal position at this point, desperately trying to get away from those damn hands of his.

"Tell me I can drive next week" he says, letting up on the tickling so I can answer.

I glare at him. "Hell no" I tell him, because I'm as stubborn as they come. He sighs, like my answer is difficult for him to hear. Then he's back to making me scream with his damn tickling. I last maybe about 30 seconds before I tell him he can drive. He removes his hands and I do my best to calm down so I can breathe normally again.

"I honestly think tickling you brought you down quicker than the stun gun I used on you last year" he says with an amused smile as he moves back to his side of the couch. I remember when we had to use the stun gun on each other as part of our training and certification.

"Shut up" I tell him, though I am smiling because it is pretty ridiculous that one of Chicago's detectives can't handle someone poking at her sides. We sit quietly for a moment before I glance at the clock and determine it is getting late. "I should … probably head home" I tell him. I can't tell for sure, but I think he looks disappointed.

He walks me to his door though. I reach for the door handle when he finally says something. "I just wanted you to know, that I thought last night was pretty amazing" he says, catching me completely off guard. "After the dinner, I mean" he adds. He's scratching the back of his head out of nervousness because he's not sure he should have said that.

I'm not sure he should have either, but it makes me feel pretty damn special hearing him say it. "I was just giving you a bad time earlier" I admit, somewhat quietly. "Last night was pretty great." He doesn't reply, so I open his door so I can leave.

Except he's pushing the door closed with one hand and turning me towards him with the other. He's kissing me and I barely register my back knocking against the wood door as his body presses against mine.

I feel like I can't breathe and yet it is the best feeling in the world. He must eventually realize that I need some air because his lips leave mine and trail these soft kisses along my neck. My eyes are closed and my head is leaning against the door. I'm thankful he's still pressed up against me because I'm pretty sure I'd sink to the ground if he weren't.

He breathes against my neck and says my name softly. I almost don't hear him. But I feel him, everywhere. His hands now exploring under my sweater and his lips kissing the other side of my neck. His lower half bumps against mine from time to time, testing my patience.

I think about how we should not be doing this, and then I think about the way I am feeling and decide that I don't give two shits about made up rules.

And when my feet leave the wood floors beneath me and Jay is carrying me towards his bedroom, I decide that Jay doesn't care about the rules either.


	3. Chapter 3

Erin Lindsay doesn't know this, but I don't set my alarm on Sundays. She's right when she says I still get up way too early, even on a Sunday, but it is not by choice. I just can't seem to sleep past 5 AM anymore, no matter how tired I am.

Today though, I'm alright with the fact that I woke up so early. It has afforded me an extra few hours to stare at Erin as she sleeps peacefully next to me. I smile at the fact that she has all three of my pillows on her side of the bed, leaving me with just the mattress to lay my head on. I'm not sure how she ended up with the one that I fell asleep on last night, but I figure she needed it more than me.

There's a strand of her hair resting on her cheek that I can't help but push back behind her ear. Erin Lindsay is a pretty girl, there's no doubt about that. But when she's sleeping like this, with no makeup on and not one worried frown line to be found, she's absolutely gorgeous.

Erin Lindsay worries constantly. She worries about her mother, her brother Teddy and Hank. She worries about the cases we work and the kids in our community. Even though she only admits it once in a while, she worries about me too.

That same piece of hair falls in front of her face again and I reach over to move it back. This time, I allow my thumb to gently brush against her cheek. The movement causes her to stir.

"Halstead" she warns quietly. I have to smile, because Erin Lindsay is so far from being a morning person that she might as well not start her day until noon. But even cranky Erin is better than no Erin.

"Good morning" I say quietly. She opens her eyes, blinks a few times. I take the opportunity to lean towards her for a kiss. Instead of her lips, I'm met with the palm of her hand pushing my face away. Not exactly how I pictured this.

"If I kill you because you woke me up early on a Sunday, it wouldn't be premeditated and I'd do less jail time" she explains. I don't know if it is because I'm a cop or because I know her so well, but her comment makes me smile.

She groans and then rolls over and I know she's set on falling back asleep. Maybe I should let her.

I find myself moving to her side of the bed and wrapping my arms around her though. She sighs contently and I know she's not completely against our new position. "We have some time off coming up" I say quietly.

"Four days off" she reminds me. I think about how much we all really need these four days.

"I was thinking about going to my family's cabin in Wisconsin" I say casually. I haven't been in probably five or six years. "You should come with" I add bravely. "Fresh air and quiet might do us some good." She's silent for way longer than I want her to be and I know her brain is working overtime to analyze what I have just asked her.

Finally, she rolls over so she can face me. She looks serious. But then, she pulls a classic Erin with a sarcastic question. "Ice fishing and meth labs?" she asks. That dimpled smile slowly appears and I swear if it were possible, my hearts skips just a little. I silently remind myself as a brother of a doctor, that if my heart really did skip, she'd be calling 911.

"It isn't cold enough for the lake to be frozen over yet, so that's a no on ice fishing" I tell her. "But I'm sure we could find you a meth lab or two if you have your heart set on it." I can't help my grin, and she falls for it because she's rolling her eyes. "Hot tub, fireplace, morning coffee on the back deck overlooking the lake …" I list off, hoping to entice her. If I could retire right now, I'd stay there and never come back. I love Chicago, don't get me wrong, but nothing beats a cabin with a lake view.

Erin focuses her attention on my bare chest, rather than my eyes and I think she's going to tell me no. "I was planning on getting a few things done on my to-do list" Erin tells me. It isn't a no for sure, but it isn't a yes either.

"Think about it" I tell her. I want her to genuinely want to go with me. She smiles and I know that's her way of thanking me for not making her choose right this moment. "Do you want breakfast?" I ask. I realize that by offering, I've just turned whatever this is into something a little more. I try not to think too much about that because whatever this is, is nice. I don't want to ruin it.

She raises an eyebrow like she's impressed with my offer, yet skeptical as well. "You makin' it?" she asks.

I nod. "Pancakes and bacon sound good?" I ask.

"Yeah" Erin smiles. "You're not going to the gym?" she asks.

I sit up, already regretting that I'm no longer touching her. "I figure you gave me a pretty good workout last night, so I could have the day off" I tell her. I don't even try and fight the grin I feel appearing.

She rolls her eyes at me again. "Go make breakfast, Halstead" she says, rolling over and taking the blankets with her so I'm sitting naked in my bed. I shake my head and try not to laugh at the fact that I can still annoy her with my humor. I find my sweats in a pile on the floor and pull them on. Clearly, I was a little preoccupied last night to fold them.

I'm walking out when I hear Erin call out. "Make sure the bacon is crispy, Halstead!" she tells me.

"Got it!" I call back as I make my way around the corner to my kitchen. She's incredibly demanding.

In about 25 minutes, I have the pancakes on a plate and I am just finishing up her slices of bacon, because they needed to be left on a tad longer. I'm watching them closely so they do not burn when Erin walks out in her underwear and my t-shirt.

I must be staring pretty hard because she stops, tilts her head just a little and raises her left eyebrow at me. "You got something to say, Halstead?" she asks.

Yes. Yes I do. But my brain and my mouth won't work together fast enough to tell her that she looks gorgeous first thing in the morning dressed like that. "Um, this good enough?" I ask lamely, pointing the fork in my hand toward the bacon strips sizzling in the pan.

Erin finishes walking to me, stops right in front of me and evaluates my cooking. I'm no chef, but I can make a decent meal when I need to. She reaches over and turns the stove off. "Perfect" she answers. I don't get time to reply because she's already grabbing for a plate.

Erin Lindsay is the kind of person who drowns her pancakes in syrup. This is not a newly learned fact. I've known this about her since the first time I went out to breakfast with her while we were working a case. I made sure to put a new bottle out for her this morning, too.

She reaches for my newspaper that I have not yet read and opens it. I join her at the table, and we sit in comfortable silence while eating our breakfast.

I fold and neatly place the last shirt into my duffel that I'm taking with me to Wisconsin. Even though it is early, I am thankful to be off for the next few days. I love my job and the people I work with, but I need the break. So much so that I cannot even remember the last time I had one.

I sent Erin a text last night letting her know I was heading out at 4 AM. I wanted to get an early start so I could spend as much time at the cabin as possible.

I had not seen Erin really at all yesterday because we were so busy. But I wanted her to know that my offer still stood. She never replied, so I figure she's not coming. The thought is disappointing, but I've been to the cabin by myself before.

I grab for my bag, turn off the lights in my apartment and head out. The cooler than usual air temperature outside right now is surprising, but not as surprising as seeing Erin's SUV running. Either someone is stealing it, or Erin is actually awake at 4 AM.

I make my way to the passenger side and try the handle. The door opens and I see Erin messing with the heat, trying to get warm as quickly as possible. "Get in, you're letting my heat out" she tells me. I hop in quickly, close my door and toss my bag in the back seat. I fail miserably at hiding how happy I am that she's going with me to Wisconsin. "I figured we could take my SUV. It rides better than your car" she tells me.

This is true. Her new SUV is nice. Really nice. So nice, that I halfway suspect that Voight might have helped get it for her. I don't pry with any questions though. The girl works her ass off and deserves it. "I can't believe you're up this early" I say, putting my seatbelt on as she backs out of the parking spot. She's dressed in a winter jacket and a beanie. You'd think it was snowing outside by looking at her. Always so cold, that one.

"I haven't had my coffee yet either, so watch yourself" she replies.

I know better than to mess with her before she's had caffeine. Don't get me wrong, I need the stuff too, but Erin really, really needs it. "We'd better get you some then" I say, sitting back in the seat. I look out the window and fail to hide the smile on my face. I'm really happy she's going with me.

Three hours into the drive and we need to stop for gas and breakfast. There's a gas station off the highway and a diner across the street that has a few cars in the parking lot. We fill the tank up and I watch her carefully. She's tired, though she's trying hard not to show it.

We grab a booth and open our menus to see what we want. It is pretty pointless though. Erin's going to have pancakes and I'm going to have bacon, eggs and toast. Our waitress is extremely cheerful for 7 in the morning and she keeps calling us "kids" every time she addresses us. She's nice though and brings us a cup of coffee to start out with. Erin and I both are busy taking a sip when our waitress makes a comment about us being a cute couple. I'm not sure if Erin chokes on her coffee first or me, but we're definitely caught off guard.

We shouldn't be. We've let people believe we were a couple before, usually when we go undercover. She's been my wife, my cheating wife, my girlfriend and my girlfriend strung out on drugs. Ruzek got to play her boyfriend once, after weeks of begging, only to almost blow the case because he got nervous going in to kiss her. The kiss was awkward as hell for the rest of us watching from afar and Erin refused to go undercover again with him.

Erin and I have never had that problem though. Maybe because we spend so much time together, we just find it easier to play a couple. That, and I am pretty confident that I am a better kisser than Ruzek, though Erin would never admit that.

"Well, Honey" Erin says, grinning at me. "Do you know what you're having?" she asks me. The waitress is beaming with Erin's use of "Honey" and I feel like I should play along.

"Of course, Babe" I reply, smiling at Erin as I collect our menus and hand them to our waitress.

We place our orders and Erin waits for our waitress to leave before she says anything. "Well, I suppose the good news is, she thinks we're seeing each other, which means there will only be one check" she explains. Erin leans over the table a little towards me. "I guess you're buying" she adds.

I raise my eyebrow at her. "I paid last time" I remind her.

"We're in a small town, Halstead. You would get judged so hard if they saw you making your girl pay" she tells me with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

I know she's right, and I'm going to pay because technically I invited her on this trip. She starts to yawn some and reaches for her coffee. "We've probably got another three hours or so" I tell her.

"Have you checked the weather recently?" Erin asks, holding up her phone. "They're calling for snow tomorrow night at the lake."

I take her phone from her to look because I don't believe her. Its not even October yet. "No way" I say, scrolling through the app. Sure enough, there's a snowflake pictured.

"My parka and beanie don't look so ridiculous now, do they?" she asks. She's sipping her coffee, but I see the smirk she's hiding behind the cup. She saw me eyeing her outfit when I got in the SUV this morning.

"I've got a winter jacket at the cabin" I tell her. Now I really am glad that we brought her SUV along, though Erin is horrible when it comes to driving in the snow. Mostly because she continues to drive like she normally would, rather than taking slippery road conditions into account. On average, she nearly puts us in the ditch at least a dozen times during the winter each year. But she'd never admit to it.

I do the honorable thing and pay for our breakfast. But not before Erin gets our waitress to box her up a piece of homemade pie for the road. Our waitress also cashes us out and asks about our plans and where we are headed.

Erin makes up some story about us going to Wisconsin to pick out the spot where we want to get married. On a lake, at sunset. I listen to Erin talk details with this woman, who looks like she's about ready to invite herself to this wedding I'm apparently in.

We say goodbye and as we head for the car, I start to think about why Erin has so many details about a wedding. Has she ever pictured herself getting married? Does she really want to get married by a lake at sunset? I don't get time to answer myself because she's headed for the driver's seat.

"Hey" I say, jogging to catch her. "I'll drive the last few hours" I say, wanting to give her a break. I know she's tired because she doesn't fight me on it. She hands over the keys and walks around to the passenger side.

I probably drive for about half an hour before she's finally out.

The slight bump from turning off the paved road and onto a dirt road wakes her. She looks a little confused at first, but then rubs her eyes and looks out the window.

The cabin comes into view and I feel this sense of relief. Relief that it is still standing and relief that I get to spend the next few days here. With Erin. "This is it" I say, putting the SUV in park and shutting it off.

Erin is looking through the window and I can tell she's impressed. But she makes a smartass comment first. "Jesus Halstead, did you hit every bug in Wisconsin?" she asks, pointing to her windshield that is in fact, covered in squashed bugs.

"There are a lot of bugs here" I tell her as I open the door and step out. "Hope you brought bug spray, 'cause they'll eat you alive" I add as I shut the door before she can roll her eyes at me. I know she does anyway.

I open the hatchback and grab for our bags. I notice Erin packed light – just a medium sized duffel and a backpack. As I sling her bag over my shoulder and grab for mine, I notice she's outside of the SUV now, looking at the cabin again. I grab her backpack too and shut the door. "Built in the 20s" I say, adding a little history for her.

"Looks like something out of a storybook" Erin replies, still in awe of the rustic logs fitted together so perfectly. The cabin is weathered, being almost 100 years old. But I know it would take a hell of a lot for it to fall down.

Erin grabs for one of the bags and follows me up the gravel path that is being taken over by weeds. I fish out my keys and jiggle the door handle a bit, remembering that it can stick when no one has stuck a key in it for a while.

I do finally get the door open and step aside for Erin to go in first. She drops her bag on the floor and turns in a slow circle, admiring the space. It is not overly decorated, but there are photographs of my family along the fireplace mantle and decorative photos of wildlife hanging on the walls.

The cabin is cold inside and even though Erin doesn't say anything, I know she's thinking the same. "Look around. I'm going to grab some firewood and get the fire going."

I walk back out the front door and around to the back of the house. There's about five or six pieces of wood already chopped and laying haphazardly on the ground near the chopping block. I set up another piece of wood to chop and grab for the ax. It only takes one swing, even though the ax is dull due to having not been sharpened in … well, never. But the wood is dry and splits easily. I grab for another round and keep going, because we are going to need enough for the next few days.

I don't know how long I stay out there, but something behind me catches my attention and I realize Erin is standing on the back deck watching me. Her arms are crossed and she looks amused. "You a lumberjack too?" she asked.

Her question makes me grin. "I just refuse to listen to you whine that you're cold the whole time we're here" I reply. I hear her mutter something but don't quite catch what it is. I pick up an armful of wood and make my way up the steps towards her. Instead of following me inside, she heads down the stairs.

I get the fire started after a few minutes and Erin comes in, kneeling beside me. She sets down an armful of wood she grabbed. I don't tell her that she didn't need to grab the wood, but I like the fact that she is embracing life in Wisconsin. "Boy Scout too" she adds, holding her hands up to the fire to get warm.

"Don't forget the rugged good looks and razor sharp mind" I remind her.

Erin laughs, really laughs. "That's debatable" she says.

I just shake my head and stand up. "I was going to head to the store and pick up a few things" I tell her. "You can come with or hang out here."

Erin stands as well and looks around the cabin again. "I think I'll stay here. Unpack. Maybe take a nap." She looks around again, looking unsure. "Where am I sleeping?" she finally asks.

I point up towards the loft. "The loft has a pretty comfy bed" I tell her. "There's a room down the hall too."

Erin thinks for a moment before making her decision. "I'll take the loft" she decides. She walks to her bag on the floor, picks it up and heads for the ladder to go up to the loft.

"You want anything from the store?" I ask.

Erin pokes her head out from the loft. "Popcorn and hot chocolate" she answers.

Her answer makes me smile. This girl can eat her weight in popcorn. She drinks a lot of hot chocolate too, especially in the colder months. "Got it" I tell her, fishing the keys out of my pocket and walking towards the door. "Text me if you think of anything else" I say, walking out and locking the door behind me.

I have just sat down in the driver's seat when I get a text message notification. It's from Erin, telling me we need coffee, and not the cheap stuff. I do not buy cheap coffee. I consider myself to be somewhat of a coffee snob. I think Erin forgets that she's the one who buys cheap coffee, but I won't remind her. At least not on this trip.

I make it back to the cabin in less than an hour, with everything I planned on buying, along with all of Erin's last minute requests. "Erin?" I call out. I don't get a response, so I put the groceries away quickly before going in search for her.

I don't have to look far. I see her through the screen glass door, asleep in one of the chairs on the deck that faces the lake. I grab a blanket and quietly make my way outside. When I cover her up, she stirs just a little. "Jay?" she whispers.

I smile as I bend down towards her. "I'm back" I whisper. "Go back to sleep" I add, pressing my lips against the top of her head. It is nice outside and she looks beautiful with the sun shining down on her. We came on this trip to relax, and I'm happy to see that she is doing just that.


End file.
